Modern day Abraham: ‘God told man to kill tourist’ in York

Posted by doctore0 on May 15, 2012

If Abraham existed today.. he would be placed in a mental asylum.. not made a hero in some crazy magic book;
—A MAN who said God told him to try to kill a tourist by hitting him over the head with a cobble has been jailed for a minimum of four-and-a-half years.

Paul Knipe, 44, struck South African holidaymaker Lyle Thole several times as he was returning to his hotel in York, leaving him needing 30 stitches.

He told 78-year-old Mr Thole he was mentally ill and was going to kill him during the attack in July last year.

Knipe was sentenced to imprisonment for public protection at York Crown Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to attempted murder.

Judge Stephen Ashurst, the Recorder of York, told him he would serve at least four-and-ahalf years in jail before being considered for release.

“You attacked a completely blameless stranger, who you had met near York Minster when Mr Thole was on holiday from South Africa,’’ he said.

“The attack on Mr Thole was an extremely dangerous one.’’ Judge Ashurst continued: “It’s fortunate indeed that a number of members of the clergy at York Minster were on hand and you did not persist with the attack.

“You made it clear that God was telling you to kill this random stranger.’’ Mr Thole, who was on a golfing holiday, received injuries to his head, elbow and fingers.Read more